Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “epoch”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,027 records · Page 57
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

A 2 THz Heterodyne Array Receiver for SOFIA

We proposed to perform a comprehensive design study of a 16-element heterodyne array receiver for SOFIA. The array was designed to utilize hot-electron bolometers in an efficient, low-cost waveguide mount to achieve low noise performance between approx. 1500 and 2400 GHz. Due to the prevailing physical conditions in the interstellar medium, this frequency range is one of the richest in the FIR portion of the spectrum. An array designed for this wavelength range will make excellent use of the telescope and the available atmospheric transmission, and will provide a new perspective on stellar, chemical, and galaxy evolution in the present as well as past epochs. A few of the most important molecular and atomic species which the instrument will sample are CII, OI, CO, OH, NII, and CH. The system used the most sensitive detectors available in an efficient optical system. The local oscillator was a compact CO2 pumped far-infrared laser currently under development for SOFIA. The backend spectrometer was an array acousto-optic spectrometer (aAOS). The spectrometer utilizes proven hardware and technologies to provide broadband performance (greater than or equal to 1 GHz per AOS channel) and high spectral resolution (1 MHz) with the maximum sensitivity and minimum complexity and cost. The proposed instrument would be the fastest and most sensitive heterodyne receiver ever to operate in the 1.5 - 2.4 THz band. One of the key technologies developed for the proposed instrument is the laser micromachining of waveguide structures. These structures provide both the optical link between the instrument and the telescope (via an array of efficient feedhorns) and the impedance transformation between the detectors and free space. With the assistance of funds provided from this grant, we were able to fabricate and test the world's first laser micromachined feedhorns. The quality of the waveguide structure is far better than that obtainable using any other fabrication technique. The beam parameters are an excellent match to what is expected from theory. The success of this experiment demonstrates the viability of using laser micromachined components in the development of high performance, large format array receivers. Unfortunately, our instrument proposal was not selected as a first generation SOFIA instrument. However, we have continued our development efforts and will propose to build a 2nd generation instrument based on the same design concepts.

Walker, Christopher K.↗
NASA NTRS1999

UV Spectral Variability and the Lyman-Alpha Forest in the Lensed Quasar Q0957+561

Far-ultraviolet spectra of the gravitational lens components Q0957+561 A and B were obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) at five equally spaced epochs, one every two weeks. We confirm the flux variability of the quasar's Lyman-alpha and O VI lambda 1037 emission lines reported in IUE (International Ultraviolet Explorer) spectra. The fluxes in these lines vary on a time scale of weeks in the local rest frame (LRF), independently of each other and of the surrounding continuum. The individual spectra of each image were co-added to investigate the properties of the Lyman-alpha forest along the two lines of sight to the quasar. Absorption lines having equivalent width W (sub lambda) greater than or equal to 0.3 Angstroms in the LRF not previously identified as interstellar lines, metal lines, or higher order Lyman lines were taken to be LY-alpha forest lines. The existence of each line in this consistently selected set was then verified by its presence in two archival FOS spectra with approx. 1.5 times higher signal to noise than our co-added spectra. Ly-alpha forest lines with W (sub lambda) greater than or equal to 0.3 Angstroms appear at 42 distinct wavelengths in the spectra of the two images. Two absorption lines in the spectrum of image A have no counterpart at that wavelength in the spectrum of image B, and two lines in image B have no counterpart in image A. Based on the separation of the lines of sight at the redshift of the absorption lines appearing in only one spectrum, the density of the absorbing clouds in the direction of Q0957+561 must change significantly over a distance of 79 (+34, -26) h (sub 50) (sup -1) kpc in the simplified model where the absorbers are treated as spherical clouds and the characteristic dimension is the radius. (We adopt H (sub 0)= 50 h (sub 50) km s (sup -1) kpc (sup -1), q (sub 0) = 1/2, and LAMBDA = 0 throughout the paper.) The two limits define the 68% confidence interval on the characteristic dimension, equivalent to the 1 sigma confidence interval for a Gaussian distribution. The 95% confidence interval extends from (32 - 250) h (sub 50) (sup -1) kpc. We show in the Appendix that the fraction of Ly-alpha forest lines that appear in only one spectrum can be expressed as a rapidly converging power series in 1/r, where r the ratio of the radius of the cloud to the separation of the two LOS at the redshift of the cloud. This power series can be rewritten to give r in terms of the fraction of Ly-alpha forest wavelengths that appear in the spectrum of only one image. A simple linear approximation to the solution which everywhere agrees with the power series solution to better than 0.8% for r greater than or equal to 2 is derived in the Appendix.

Dolan, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Resolving Magnetic Flux Patches at the Surface of the Core

The geomagnetic field at a given epoch can be used to partition the surface of the liquid outer core into a finite number of contiguous regions in which the radial component of the magnetic flux density, B (sub r), is of one sign. These flux patches are instrumental in providing detail to surface fluid flows inferred from the changing geomagnetic field and in evaluating the validity of the frozen-flux approximation on which such inferences rely. Most of the flux patches in models of the modem field are small and enclose little flux compared to the total unsigned flux emanating from the core. To demonstrate that such patches are not required to explain the most spatially complete and accurate data presently available, those from the Magsat mission, I have constructed a smooth core field model that fits the Magsat data but does not possess small flux patches. I conclude that our present knowledge of the geomagnetic field does not allow us to resolve these features reliably at the core-mantle boundary; thus we possess less information about core flow than previously believed.

OBrien, Michael S.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Administrative Report on Training Awards

During the tenure of this award, the recipient (David Harker) conducted areas of research which resulted in the award of a doctorate degree (August 1999) from the University of Wyoming. The primary science activity was investigation of silicate dust mineralogy in comets, particularly comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). Determination of the dust mineralogy permits us to address an important astrophysical question of relevance to the origins and evolution of solar systems, "Do comets contain relic interstellar dust grains? Since, comets represent the frozen reservoirs of primitive proto-solar dust and ice, we can gain insight into the problem of understanding the formation of protoplanetesimals in the. early solar nebula. Mid-infrared spectrophotometry (7 - 14 micron, R approx. = 180 - 360) of Hale-Bopp was obtained with the NASA/Ames HIFOGS at four distinct epochs pre- and post- perihelion ion from 1996 October through 1997 June. These observations were conducted at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, and were supported by funds from this training grant. The emission at mid-IR wavelengths in cometary comae arises from carbon grains, and small silicate grains which produce resonance features. Hale-Bopp had the strongest silicate feature observed from any comet to date. Theoretical calculations utilizing Mie Scattering Theory were employed to construct Synthetic cometary spectra to fit with the observed HIFOGS 10 microns spectral feature of Hale-Bopp. Our analysis suggests that the observed spectra can be modeled with the Hanner grain size distribution peaked at alpha((sub p) = 0.2 microns of fractal porous grains with porosity parameter D = 2.5. This model spectrum also fits photometry points in the 3 - 5 microns region. Comparison with the ISO SWS spectrum of Hale-Bopp obtained 1996 October reveals that the crystalline olivine grains must be at it temperature hotter than computed from Mie theory.

Woodward, Charles E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Six Years of Short-Spaced Monitoring of the v=1 and v=2 J=1-0 (28)SiO Maser Emission in Evolved Stars

We present the results from a monitoring of the v=1 and v=2 J=1-0 (28)SiO maser emission in 21 objects, covering all types of known SiO maser emitters: 13 Mira variables, 2 long period semiregulars (SRGs), 3 variable supergiants (SGs), 2 OH/IR stars, and one young stellar object. This study has been carried out with the 13.7 meter radiotelescope of the Centro Astronomico de Yebes (Guadalajara, Spain), from July 1984 to May 1990, and represents the longest and most tightly sampled monitoring of SiO masers ever published. Our data show that for Mira-type (i.e. regular) variables, the SiO and optical light curves agree in period, and that the maxima of the SiO emission lag the optical ones by about 0.1-0.2 periods. Since a similar lag characterizes the near infrared (NIR) emission variability from these stars, we conclude that for regular variables SiO and NIR vary in phase. This result was confirmed in three objects for which NIR variability curves are available. For SRGs and SGs, we found a less systematic behavior, but when the SiO emission is periodic, its variability curve agrees with the optical one, also showing a lag between maximum epochs similar to that of Mira-type stars. The data clearly reveal other interesting details on the SiO maser variability, such as the strong intensity differences between different maxima and changes in the velocity distribution of the emission. Finally, the SiO masers associated to the young stellar object Orion IRc2 showed a double peaked spectrum with low amplitude, aperiodic variations.

Alcolea, J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

On the Bimodality of ENSO Cycle Extremes

On the basis of sea surface temperature in the El Nino 3.4 region (5 deg. N.,-5 deg. S., 120-170 deg. W.) during the interval of 1950-1997, Kevin Trenberth previously has identified some 16 El Nino and 10 La Nina, these 26 events representing the extremes of the quasi-periodic El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. Runs testing shows that the duration, recurrence period, and sequencing of these extremes vary randomly. Hence, the decade of the 1990's, especially for El Nino, is not significantly different from that of previous decadal epochs, at least, on the basis of the frequency of onsets of ENSO extremes. Additionally, the distribution of duration for both El Nino and La Nina looks strikingly bimodal, each consisting of two preferred modes, about 8- and 16-mo long for El Nino and about 9- and 18-mo long for La Nina, as does the distribution of the recurrence period for El Nino, consisting of two preferred modes about 21- and 50-mo long. Scatterplots of the recurrence period versus duration for El Nino are found to be statistically important, displaying preferential associations that link shorter (longer) duration with shorter (longer) recurrence periods. Because the last onset of El Nino occurred in April 1997 and the event was of longer than average duration, onset of the next anticipated El Nino is not expected until February 2000 or later.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

On The Bimodality of ENSO Cycle Extremes

On the basis of sea surface temperature in the El Nino 3.4 region (5N.-5S., 120-170W.) during the interval of 1950-1997, Kevin Trenberth previously has identified some 16 El Nino and 10 La Nina, these 26 events representing the extremes of the quasi-periodic El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. Runs testing shows that the duration, recurrence period, and sequencing of these extremes vary randomly. Hence, the decade of the 1990's, especially for El Nino, is not significantly different from that of previous decadal epochs, at least, on the basis of the frequency of onsets of ENSO extremes. Additionally, the distribution of duration for both El Nino and La Nina looks strikingly bimodal, each consisting of two preferred modes, about 8- and 16-months long for El Nino and about 9- and 18-months long for La Nina, as does the distribution of the recurrence period for El Nino, consisting of two preferred modes about 21- and 50- mo long. Scatterplots of the recurrence period versus duration for El Nino are found to be statistically important, displaying preferential associations that link shorter (longer) duration with shorter (longer) recurrence periods. Because the last onset of El Nino occurred in April 1997 and the event was of longer than average duration, onset of the next anticipated El Nino is not expected until February 2000 or later.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Astrometry of the omega Centauri Hubble Space Telescope Calibration Field

Astrometry, on the International Celestial Reference Frame (epoch J2000.0), is presented for the Walker (1994, PASP, 106, 828) stars in the omega Centauri (=NGC 5139=C 1323-1472) Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field/Planetary Camera (WF/PC) calibration field of Harris et al. (1993, AJ, 105, 1196). Harris et al. stars were first identified on a WFPC2 observation of the omega Cen HST calibration field. Relative astrometry of the Walker stars in this field was then obtained using Walker's CCD positions and astrometry derived using the STSDAS METRIC task on the positions of the Harris et al. stars on the WFPC2 observation. Finally, the relative astrometry, which was based on the HST Guide Star Catalog, is placed on the International Celestial Reference Frame with astrometry from the USNO-A2.0 catalog. An ASCII text version of the astrometric data of the Walker stars in the omega Cen HST calibration field is available electronically in the online version of the article.

Mighell, Kenneth J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Measuring Greenland Ice Mass Variation With Gravity Recovery and the Climate Experiment Gravity and GPS

The response of the Greenland ice sheet to climate change could significantly alter sea level. The ice sheet was much thicker at the last glacial maximum. To gain insight into the global change process and the future trend, it is important to evaluate the ice mass variation as a function of time and space. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission to fly in 2001 for 5 years will measure gravity changes associated with the current ice variation and the solid earth's response to past variations. Our objective is to assess the separability of different change sources, accuracy and resolution in the mass variation determination by the new gravity data and possible Global Positioning System (GPS) bedrock uplift measurements. We use a reference parameter state that follows a dynamic ice model for current mass variation and a variant of the Tushingham and Peltier ICE-3G deglaciation model for historical deglaciation. The current linear trend is also assumed to have started 5 kyr ago. The Earth model is fixed as preliminary reference Earth model (PREM) with four viscoelastic layers. A discrete Bayesian inverse algorithm is developed employing an isotropic Gaussian a priori covariance function over the ice sheet and time. We use data noise predicted by the University of Texas and JPL for major GRACE error sources. A 2 mm/yr uplift uncertainty is assumed for GPS occupation time of 5 years. We then carry out covariance analysis and inverse simulation using GRACE geoid coefficients up to degree 180 in conjunction with a number of GPS uplift rates. Present-day ice mass variation and historical deglaciation are solved simultaneously over 146 grids of roughly 110 km x 110 km and with 6 time increments of 3 kyr each, along with a common starting epoch of the current trend. For present-day ice thickness change, the covariance analysis using GRACE geoid data alone results in a root mean square (RMS) posterior root variance of 2.6 cm/yr, with fairly large a priori uncertainties in the parameters and a Gaussian correlation length of 350 km. Simulated inverse can successfully recover most features in the reference present-day change. The RMS difference between them over the grids is 2.8 cm/yr. The RMS difference becomes 1.1 cm/yr when both are averaged with a half Gaussian wavelength of 150 km. With a fixed Earth model, GRACE alone can separate the geoid signals due to past and current load fairly well. Shown are the reference geoid signatures of direct and elastic effects of the current trend, the viscoelastic effect of the same trend starting from 5 kyr ago, the Post Glacial Rebound (PGR), and the predicted GRACE geoid error. The difference between the reference and inverse modeled total viscoelastic signatures is also shown. Although past and current ice mass variations are allowed the same spatial scale, their geoid signals have different spatial patterns. GPS data can contribute to the ice mass determination as well. Additional information is contained in the original.

Wu, Xiao-Ping↗
NASA NTRS2000

Spectral Evolution in GRB 990510

We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the afterglow of GRB 990510. Through the identification of several absorption lines in the first epoch spectrum, we determine the redshift for this burst to be z >= 1.6190 +/- 0.0016. No clear emission lines are detected. From the absence of the Ly.alpha drop, we can put an upper limit to the redshift of z <= 2.3. We study the time evolution of the MgII absorption line in our spectra taken 0.8 and 3.9 days after the burst, whose equivalent width (E.W.) is expected to change in case the burst resides in a dense compact medium (Perna & Loeb 1998). We measure an E.W. of 2.5 /- 0.2 and 2.3 +/- 0.6 in the spectra 0.8 and 3.8 days after the burst, respectively. Our results suggest that the atoms responsible for the absorption are not in the vicinity of the site of the burst.

Vreeswijk, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

High Resolution VLBA Observations of NGC 4261

The VLBA's high angular resolution at 22 and 43 GHz allows the nuclei of nearby radio galaxies to be imaged with very high linear resolution (a few hundred Schwarzschild radii or less for central black hole masses of about 10(exp 8) - 10(exp 9) solar mass). This is the scale on which absorption by the dense ionized inner regions of nuclear accretion disk should be detected. We present 8, 22, and 43 GHz VLBA images of the two-sided radio jets in NGC 4261 (2C370) with sub-parsec resolution, and derive constraints on the physical properties of the inner accretion disk. In addition, preliminary results from multi-epoch VLBA observations to detect proper motions in the jet and counterjet, and thus determine the orientation of the radio axis to our line of sight, may be available. Our multi-frequency images show apparent absorption by a nearly edge-on disk at 8 GHz, but not evidence for absorption at 22 or 43 GHz. Assuming that this is due to a lower optical depth for free-free absorption at 22 and 43 GHz, we find an upper limit for the electron density of approximately 10(exp 8)* Square root of(0.1/L)/cubic cm, where L is the path length through the disk in pc. The disk inclination, and therefore the likely path length, will be better determined by the ongoing VLBA proper motions measurements. This research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Jones, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Semi-Major Axis Knowledge and GPS Orbit Determination

In recent years spacecraft designers have increasingly sought to use onboard Global Positioning System receivers for orbit determination. The superb positioning accuracy of GPS has tended to focus more attention on the system's capability to determine the spacecraft's location at a particular epoch than on accurate orbit determination, per se. The determination of orbit plane orientation and orbit shape to acceptable levels is less challenging than the determination of orbital period or semi-major axis. It is necessary to address semi-major axis mission requirements and the GPS receiver capability for orbital maneuver targeting and other operations that require trajectory prediction. Failure to determine semi-major axis accurately can result in a solution that may not be usable for targeting the execution of orbit adjustment and rendezvous maneuvers. Simple formulas, charts, and rules of thumb relating position, velocity, and semi-major axis are useful in design and analysis of GPS receivers for near circular orbit operations, including rendezvous and formation flying missions. Space Shuttle flights of a number of different GPS receivers, including a mix of unfiltered and filtered solution data and Standard and Precise Positioning Service modes, have been accomplished. These results indicate that semi-major axis is often not determined very accurately, due to a poor velocity solution and a lack of proper filtering to provide good radial and speed error correlation.

Carpenter, J. Russell↗
NASA NTRS2000

QPO and Spectral Studies of "New" States of Circinus X-1

This proposal was for studies of Circinus X-1 should it enter a "new" state not previously studied with RXTE, if it should depart from its current (at the time) mode of behavior which had been studied extensively in AO1 and AO2. There were 7 different "TOO" criteria that could have triggered observations. Only one of these was triggered during the AO3 observing period, namely that for enhanced radio emission. Historically the source had been known to flare in the radio to more than 1.6 Jy (extremely bright), but radio monitoring during the RXTE epoch found the source to be quite faint, rarely exceeding 100 mJy. High-statistics x-ray studies with the PCA on RXTE during a radio bright state could reveal changes in x-ray behavior. The radio trigger of Cir X-I observations should have yielded 60 ks of RXTE observation time out of the total 396 ks of the entire TOO proposal. When the opportunity arose to coordinate RXTE with radio observations from ATCA, because the radio was brightening noticeably, we requsted that the observations be concentrated during three radio runs, rather than the 20 samples distributed over the orbit as we originally proposed. One of the three RXTE observations was not carried out due to a spacecraft anomaly, so we received a total of only 42.7 ks.

Bradt, Hale↗
NASA NTRS2000

Comparison of On-Orbit Performance of Rate Sensing Gyroscopes

This work presents results from the study of a large volume of spacecraft flight data pertaining to gyroscope performance. We have examined long and short term trends of gyroscope biase of first, an exact solution for the time-dependence of the attitude part of the state error covariance, averaged over the three spacecraft axes, is given. This solution is more complete than the usual cubic polynomial for the variance in that it includes coupling among the three gyroscope axes and includes an important term arising from the initial correlations. Second, several continuous 24-hour spans of gyroscope data are examined to verify the short-term statistical model. This analysis demonstrates that in-flight data can be used to determine the strength of the white noise driving the random walk of the gyroscope bias. This may be useful for postlaunch improvement to the noise model and for diagnosing the health of the gyroscope. Third, the long-term trends in gyroscope biases show a nearly linear systematic variation over time scales of years. This has been found on three different missions. While the random walk model is adequate as a basis for onboard Kalman filters or for state estimation using relatively short time spans, these trends indicate that some applications could benefit by accounting for the secular changes in the biases. One example is a new gyroscope calibration method that is under development that allows for multi-epoch bias solutions.

Sedlak, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS2000

Semi-Major Axis Knowledge and GPS Orbit Determination

In recent years spacecraft designers have increasingly sought to use onboard Global Positioning System receivers for orbit determination. The superb positioning accuracy of GPS has tended to focus more attention on the system's capability to determine the spacecraft's location at a particular epoch than on accurate orbit determination, per se. The determination of orbit plane orientation and orbit shape to acceptable levels is less challenging than the determination of orbital period or semi-major axis. It is necessary to address semi-major axis mission requirements and the GPS receiver capability for orbital maneuver targeting and other operations that require trajectory prediction. Failure to determine semi-major axis accurately can result in a solution that may not be usable for targeting the execution of orbit adjustment and rendezvous maneuvers. Simple formulas, charts, and rules of thumb relating position, velocity, and semi-major axis are useful in design and analysis of GPS receivers for near circular orbit operations, including rendezvous and formation flying missions. Space Shuttle flights of a number of different GPS receivers, including a mix of unfiltered and filtered solution data and Standard and Precise Positioning, Service modes, have been accomplished. These results indicate that semi-major axis is often not determined very accurately, due to a poor velocity solution and a lack of proper filtering to provide good radial and speed error correlation.

Carpenter, J. Russell↗
NASA NTRS2000

Are There Intrinsically X-Ray Quiet Quasars

Recent ROSAT studies have identified a significant population of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) that are notably faint in soft X-rays relative to their optical fluxes. Are these AGN intrinsically X-ray weak or are they just highly absorbed? Brandt, Laor & Wills have systematically examined the optical and UV spectral properties of a well-defined sample of these soft X-ray weak (SXW) AGN drawn from the Boroson & Green sample of all the Palomar Green AGN 00 with z < 0.5. We present ASCA observations of three of these SXW AGN: PG 1011-040, PG 1535+547 (Mrk 486), and PG 2112+059. In general, our ASCA observations support the intrinsic absorption scenario for explaining soft X-ray weakness; both PG 1535+547 and PG 2112+059 show significant column densities (NH is approximately 10(exp 22) - 10(exp 23)/sq cm) of absorbing gas. Interestingly, PG 1011-040 shows no spectral evidence for X-ray absorption. The weak X-ray emission may result from very strong absorption of a partially covered source, or this AGN may be intrinsically X-ray weak. PG 2112+059 is a Broad Absorption Line (BAL) QSO, and we find it to have the highest X-ray flux known of this class. It shows a typical power-law X-ray continuum above 3 keV; this is the first direct evidence that BAL QSOs indeed have normal X-ray continua underlying their intrinsic absorption. Finally, marked variability between the ROSAT and ASCA observations of PG 1535+547 and PG 2112+059 suggests that the soft X-ray weak designation may be transient, and multi-epoch 0.1-10.0 KeV X-ray observations are required to constrain variability of the absorber and continuum.

Gallagher, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Large and Small Scale Structures and Variability in M87

M87 is the nearest radio galaxy with a powerful jet, and hence is one of our best opportunities to study non-thermal emission in these types of galaxies. The primary objectives of this project were: a) Study the structure of the X-ray emission from both the jet and extended halo, and its relationship to the radio and optical emission regions, b) Search for variable in the X-ray emission form the galaxy core and jet using multi-epoch ROSAT images, c) Constrain possible emission mechanisms for the both the jet and diffuse X-rays.

Biretta, John↗
NASA NTRS2000

Chandra Observations of Starburst Galaxies

We present early X-ray results from Chandra for two starburst galaxies, M82 and NGC3256, obtained using AXAF CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS-I) and the HRC. For M82 the arcsecond spatial resolution enables us to separate the point source component from the extended emission for the first time. Astrometry reveals that most of the X-ray sources are not coincident with the family of compact radio sources believed to be Super Nova Remnants (SNRs). In addition, based on three epoch Chandra observations, several of the X-ray sources are clearly variable indicating that they are binaries. When we deconvolve the extended and point source components detected in the hard X-ray band, we find that 50 percent arises from the extended component. This fact, together with its morphology, constrains the various models proposed to explain the hard X-ray emission. For NGC3256 we resolve two closely separated nuclei. These new data support a pure starburst origin for the total X-ray emission rather than a composite AGN/starburst, thereby making NGC3256 one of the most X-ray luminous starburst galaxies known.

Prestwich, Andrea↗